I was jumping on my trampoline, then fell down, swore a bit ("D'arvit! Ow! My neck! Weee!"), when I figured, "How would Artemis do on a trampoline?". And this was born. Poor you guys. I, in no way shape or form, own this. The characters aren't mine, the species aren't mine and, if you want, I thoroughly encourage you putting Artemis on a trampoline. You'd probably write it better. Please review!
"Mama, Mama!" Becket and Myles ran to Angeline, shouting, "Mama, can we go on the twamp-o-ween? Pwease! Pwease?"
Among the lisped pleas, Artemis found the will to roll his eyes at Minerva, who pipped up, "It's a perfectly safe environment, Mademoiselle Fowl. They are safe. Should you want for me to accompany them?"
Artemis sighed. He came to visit Minerva, in an attempt for conversation with another genius that didn't center on the centuar's newest invention, or his own doom. Now, she was going to make sure his brother's didn't break their legs on a bouncy tarp, of all things.
"Maybe Artemis should accompany you?" Angeline suggested, or, rather "hinted".
"Mother, wouldn't you be bored?" Artemis asked, trying to buy out of it, though Minerva's father and his own father were sitting in the cushy sitting room along with her.
"Of course not dear, run along so she won't be bored!" Angeline, in her own motherly way forced Artemis.
He sighed. "Yes, Mother."
Mr. Parradizo nodded to him on his way out and he stifled a grimace.
PAAAAAAAAGEBREAK!
"Come now boys," the blonde motioned for the twins to come by her, "Now, no rough housing in there, do you hear me?"
They nodded, yet whether there would be rough housing based on this promise is doubtful.
"Good," she smiled hugely, "Now, let's go!"
They boys let out a cheer and ran to, in Artemis's mind, the idiotic device. To his surprise, Minerva also went to the trampoline, but at a more dignified pace.
"Minerva, I thought I was to keep you company. Over here," he called. He truly hoped his assumption was wrong and she was merely helping them up.
A grin crossed Minerva's face, "I wasn't about to say 'no' to your mother, Artemis. You'd have to be a titanic fool to. You may accompany us."
"No, thank you. May I sit somewhere?" He would sooner make a sexist comment in front of Holly, then jump on a trampoline.
"No, you may not, the jumping will be good for you," Minerva answered. Secretly, she just wanted to see him on the darn thing.
"Why do you ever have such a thing?" Artemis, though he had many assets, was not very good at buying time.
"A physics experiment. Now, if you would be so kind as to get on the trampoline!" Minerva insisted. This argument tired her, and she was beginning to neglect her duty as "child-protector", she found much better than "fool", as some would say she was at that moment.
Artemis, scared at the thought of an aggravated female, scurried to the device, under her charmingly glaring sky blue eyes. The poor genius took of his shoes and snuck his expensive priorly snow-white acrylic socks onto the surface of the tarp covering the springs. And, to his utter shame, he shimmied through the enternce hole in the net.
Still slightly mortified, he stood up shakily and motioned for Minerva to enter as well. Smirking, the female walked calmly up to the trampoline, and snaked off her narrow sneakers before agilely lifting herself up and sliding right next to Artemis, where the twins were finding their "sea legs", so to speak.
"You use this often?" Artemis asked, noting her ease at entrance.
She nodded. "It helps me think," Before pulling Beckett up and holding his chubby hand as he tried jumping, and catching him in a thin arm when he fell. Myles, however, was standing perfectly still, his genius mind bored already.
"Good job . . . okay . . . Great! There you go!" Minerva praised as Beckett received the ability to jump on his own without falling on his face. A tremor went through the surface as he started hopping and jumping about. Myles's face lit up, and he followed in suit. Before long, Artemis lost his balance, and fell down.
"Need help?" Minerva asked.
"No, I do not. I am fine," he lied, and sat down Indian style, his back brushing the net.
"Oh, you're no fun!" Minerva responded, and fell on her bum next to him, almost toppling the poor boy over. "How about I help you?"
"Minerva, I am fine, sitting by the side and watching," he insisted. Truthfully, he just didn't want to embarrass himself.
She stood up, "Nonsense, it's fun. You do know what fun means, right?"
"Yes," Artemis said, glaring icy fire into her pant's leg. "I happen to know what many words mean. Like, 'death', 'injury' and 'disgraceful'."
"Oh, pooh. Do something risky, for once!" Minerva insisted. Artemis noticed her toe nails were painted a pleasant pink color. He glared those to kingdom come too.
"Risky, you say? I do nothing risky? Really, now, Minerva," Artemis dodged.
Just then, Beckett accidentally hit Minerva waist-level and sent her tumbling with an "oof!"
"I'm sowwy!" Beckett insisted, kneeling by her slightly bouncing head. "I didn't mean to! Honest!"
Myles stood a ways away, controlled bouncing and shaking his head. "Simple-toon." the tot muttered.
Minerva took a deep breath and opened her eyes and said, "What was said about rough housing? Both of you?"
Both twins simultaneously found their feet rather interesting, "Sorry," Myles said.
"I said 'Sowwy'!" Beckett whispered indignantly.
Smiling, she ruffled his hair, "It's okay, but no more, you hear?" The nodded readily, and went off to go rough house, while the two teens flirted.
"See the danger?" Artemis asked smugly.
"That's the final dig, Artemis Fowl," Minerva said in such a way that Artemis knew shrill screeching would accompany his disobeying, "You will get up and try jumping. If you should hate it, you may sit there on your boring bum and mutter pessimistically, but until then, you will give it a try, so help me God!"
Artemis stood up.
And, promptly fell back down.
And then, what he'd been trying to avoid, Minerva giggled and the twins began to titter on his foolishness, and instead of their game of who could jump the highest.
"Here," she held out her hand, and he took it; standing up. She took his other hand in hers and began to bounce herself, sending shock waves down to his feet, shaking them, "Now, bounce."
Gripping her hands, Artemis bounced himself in time with Minerva.
"If you think you're man enough, you can try actually jumping," she hinted slyly.
"Goading me won't work. You should know that," he said, his pride wounded.
She shrugged, "Who would I be if I wouldn't try. But, what have you to lose?"
Artemis considered. He was on a trampoline, needing the help of another person to keep him from falling. He had nothing left to lose in this situation. That was a bit sad. Artemis nodded and gave an honest jump. Minerva jumped in time with him.
"Good, good," she noted then dropped his hands.
"Wha-" Artemis started, but then fate had decided Artemis wasn't embarrassed enough.
In layman's terms, Beckett propelled into Minerva's back, who then fell onto Artemis, sending the three of them sprawling.
"Sowwy!" Beckett cried, before going after Myles, who had pushed him.
Minerva opened her squeezed-closed eyes, and looked to find her position. She blushed. She had landed with her hands on either side of Artemis's head and her legs flat between them, in a mild push-up position. Artemis's legs and apparently come apart and his arms were at his side. He oped his eyes, and blushed as well.
He coughed. "Yes, well . . ." he trailed off.
"S-sorry, Artemis." Minerva stuttered, moving of him, to lean on her arm.
In a move of utter foolishness (or so he thought), he brushed his lips quickly against her cheek and said "I didn't really mind."
Minerva's blush graduated from pink to red and leaned in to kiss him back.
Jumping over the pair's legs, Myles couldn't help but comment, "Eww," and continue trying to evade Beckett, who, as he jumped over, concurred, with "Icky."